Mustard and Cress. 243 



Break up with a fork some old hot-bed manure, repeating 

 the operation several times until it is fairly fine and damping 

 it well during the process. Then sift it, and use 2in. of the 

 lumps as a foundation directly on the hot-bed, or in any other 

 place where the seed-bed is to be made, and on this put 2in. of 

 the fine sifted material. Then press down evenly all over with 

 the firming board. The seed may now be sown directly upon 

 this or, as is now frequently done in market places, the bed 

 may first be covered with a piece of open-meshed sacking, pre- 

 viously soaked in water. This prevents any possibility of soil 

 being carried upward amongst the stems or leaves during 

 germination. 



Mustard and Cress, in Punnets. 



The Cress being slower to move should be sown three days 

 before the Mustard, in order that both may be ready to cut at 

 the same time, and one-third less of the former should be sown. 

 Sow thickly and evenly, but do not cover with soil. Cover the 

 seed with brown paper, or if sown in a frame cover it with mats. 

 Remove these when the Mustard has been sown three days. 

 Covering in this manner has the effect of lengthening the 

 stems. A little air must be admitted to the frames each day. 

 If the soil and sacking are properly moist no watering will be 

 required. Several crops in succession can be grown on the 

 same bed, but all roots must be cleared, the soil stirred, mois- 

 tened, and pressed down, and the sacking damped anew for 

 each crop. In the proper temperature the Mustard will be 

 ready for cutting in seven or eight days after sowing, and 

 the Cress in ten or eleven days. 



